France Received Match

September 25, 2000: The French national basketball staff was in its ultimate video game in the Team “A” preliminary round of 2000 Sydney Olympics Basketball Match. France was sporting a 2-2 document, besting both equally China and New Zealand but getting rid of to each Lithuania and Italy. And as luck would have it, while in a bad way, they had been going up against the mighty Group United states of america, led by the likes of NBA superstars Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Gary Payton and Ray Allen, who were being carrying a best 4- report soon after obliterating their opponents. It was really a foregone conclusion that France would be their fifth victim in their quest for an additional basketball gold medal.

But it would only get worse. With just 16 minutes to go in the next 50 {4b1fe63123713d31487550d3441c07e511f9c896d21719779d3ce493da6269bd} of what would be a 106-94 thumping of France, Staff USA’s Vince Carter, who just won the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest 7 months in the past, stole a go from nearly the midcourt line. Going for a positive rim-rattling dunk, he was confronted by Frédéric Weis, a gangly, 7’2″ Frenchman attempting to hopelessly draw an offensive foul just a couple ft from the basket. Carter dribbled at the time and leapt. He incredibly leapfrogged about Weis, scraping the Frenchman’s head for equilibrium, and viciously slammed the ball for two points. The full Sydney SuperDome shook in awe. And nevertheless they sooner or later acquired the silver medal in the match, France was unabashedly posterized for the whole planet to see.

But notwithstanding this disagreeable moment for the French flag, points stared to look up for basketball in France. It commenced with the 2001 NBA drafting of sensational level guard Tony Parker by the San Antonio Spurs, who then received a string of championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Parker was also adjudged the Finals MVP in 2007, wiping off the bitter taste of that Weis debacle and paving the way for the NBA to entirely acknowledge the prosperity of talent coming in from France.

Boris Diaw of the Charlotte Bobcats, whose flexibility was showcased though taking part in for the Phoenix Suns from 2005-2008 Ronny Turiaf of the Golden Condition Warriors, who took portion in the 2008 NBA Finals taking part in for the Los Angeles Lakers Mickaël Piétrus of the Orlando Magic, who aided the Magic achieve the 2009 Finals and Joachim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, who was instrumental in the Bulls’ tricky stand in opposition to the Boston Celtics in the initial spherical of the 2009 Playoffs, are some of the noteworthy players that elevated the French flag in conditions of playing in the NBA. Not to be overlooked, nevertheless, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, born Olivier Michael Saint-Jean, was the 1st French-born player to ever participate in in the NBA, suiting up for the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks from 1997-2005.

So, in surmising these players, it can be actually said that not only with their sheer talent but also with the passion they bring to the match, they are deserving enough of enjoying basketball at the highest attainable degree. And even with that “le dunk de la mort” just about a 10 years back, France evidently received some major game.